Our goal is to legitimize the issue in academia so students, teachers and professors can feel free to pursue it. This is necessary because the issue is widely viewed as settled in academia and is treated as a taboo subject. We believe that an open-minded examination of the evidence shows that the issue should be taken seriously. Your signature on the Declaration will help us make the case that there is reasonable doubt about the author.

What is the Declaration?

The Declaration was written to counter orthodox claims that there's no doubt who wrote the works. It provides a concise, definitive overview of the evidence and arguments for and against William Shakspere of Stratford as the author. It was written not just to advocate, but also to educate the public about the controversy. Nearly three dozen Shakespeare scholars helped write it, and even some supporters of the Stratford man have praised it.

Among the many prominent people who have signed the Declaration are actors Derek Jacobi, Jeremy Irons, Michael York and Mark Rylance, founding Artistic Director of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London, and former U.S. Supreme Court Justices John Paul Stevens and Sandra Day O'Connor. The signatories page on this site shows a complete list of all signatories, plus separate lists for notable and academic signatories.